The Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC) has called for accelerated action on gender equality during this year’s International Women’s Day commemorations in Abuja.
In a press statement released on March 8, 2025, PPDC’s Chief Executive Officer Lucy James Abagi noted that at the current pace, full gender equality may not be achieved until 2158—a timeline the organisation described as “unacceptable.”
“The time for equality is now,” Abagi stated, urging governments, the private sector, and civil society to move beyond commitments and implement concrete, immediate actions to address persistent gender disparities.
This year’s International Women’s Day theme, “Accelerate Action,” underscores the critical need for decisive efforts to dismantle systemic barriers to gender equality. The PPDC, a non-governmental organisation focused on transparency and governance accountability, highlighted its contributions through research, advocacy, and capacity-building initiatives that have empowered over 1,000 women.
Among the organisation’s achievements is research that contributed to the adoption of the Women’s Economic Empowerment Bill and Action Plan in Kaduna State, which the PPDC described as “a significant step toward institutionalizing policies that support women’s inclusion and economic growth.”
The organisation outlined several priority actions needed to close the gender gap, including sustained enforcement of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act, accelerated implementation of the National Gender Policy, and passage of the Alteration Bill for Special Seats for Women to increase female representation in legislative bodies.
Additional recommendations focused on closing the gender pay gap, implementing the National Action Plan for United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on women in peace and security, and eradicating harmful socio-cultural norms that perpetuate discrimination and gender-based violence.
The PPDC, which describes itself as committed to improving citizen participation in governance and fostering transparent and accountable systems, reaffirmed its dedication to advancing gender-responsive reforms that ensure women have equal opportunities in economic and political participation and access to justice.
First recognized by the United Nations in 1977, International Women’s Day continues to serve as a critical platform for both celebrating progress and confronting ongoing challenges to achieving gender equality worldwide.
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